1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser light-source apparatus and a method of producing a laser or light beam therefrom, and particularly to a laser light-source apparatus capable of generating intermittent pulse light having a predetermined flickering time and emphasizing the brightness of its peak by a Bartley effect and a method of producing a laser or light beam from the laser light-source apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A laser irradiating device for radiating an object with a laser beam has heretofore been proposed in various forms. The range of uses for the laser irradiating device has recently been increased and rapidly widespread.
In general, these laser irradiating devices have adopted continuously-produced laser beams.
However, the conventional laser irradiating device has a problem that although problems are relatively reduced when the laser irradiating device irradiates an object being at no great distance with light, light is diffused so as to attenuate irradiation light when it radiates an object being at great distance with the light.
The attenuation of the irradiation light will cause a problem that a user has difficulty in recognizing the attenuation of the irradiation light and encounters extreme difficulties in recognizing it particularly during the daytime in which surroundings are bright, whereby the efficiency of work is reduced.
An increase in the output of a light source is considered to solve the attenuation of the irradiation light. However, a problem arises that the influence of a laser beam on a human body increases so as to raise the risk and power consumption is increased.
Further, a significant problem arises that an increase in laser beam output causes an increase in protective equipment to thereby lead to an increase in cost and the handling of the laser irradiating device becomes troublesome.
With the foregoing problems in view, the present invention provides a laser light-source apparatus comprising:
a laser light source; and
drive means for driving the laser light source so that intermittent pulse light having a predetermined flickering time is produced from the laser light source, and
wherein the intermittent pulse light is flickering slower than a flicker value of a normal person in cycle, and the time required to put out the pulse light is set to a time or so required to restore the sensitivity of each of human eyes to the maximum sensitivity after the human eyes have felt brightness since light has been launched into the human eyes.
Further, the present invention provides a laser light-source apparatus comprising:
an excitation type laser light source;
a timing circuit for forming a timing signal for allowing the excitation type laser light source to generate intermittent pulse light having a predetermined flickering time; and
a pumping laser for pumping the excitation type laser light source based on the signal outputted from the timing circuit, and
wherein the intermittent pulse light is flickering slower than a flicker value of a normal person in cycle and the time required to put out the intermittent pulse light is set to a time required to restore the sensitivity of each of human eyes to the maximum sensitivity after the human eyes have felt brightness since light has been launched into the human eyes.
According to the present invention, the predetermined flickering time can be also set to a frequency at which an emphasizing effect of the flickering light is obtained by a Bartley effect.
Further, according to the present invention, the predetermined flickering time may range from 6 Hz to 15 Hz.
The intermittent pulse light employed in the present invention may be set so that the light putting-out time is represented as substantially 2T if a lighting-on time is defined as T.
Moreover, the present invention provides a method of producing a laser beam emitted from a laser light source as intermittent pulse light corresponding to flickering slower than a flicker value of a normal person in cycle and having such a flickering time that a light putting-out time reaches a time or so for restoring the sensitivity of each of human eyes to the maximum sensitivity after the human eyes have felt brightness since light has been launched into the human eyes.